Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-11-04

"My son, have como 60 say good night.
I hope, Pierre, that l have always been a
good mother TO you"
"Nou have always been kind and indulgent
and full of affection"
you are good son, Pierre; but i feel to-
night as if l had not loved you as tenderly as
you have always deserved. And if have
ever made you feel that l have loved your
brother better than you, pray you pardon
Inc for it, above all, tonight"
"And why tonight more than any other
timea"
"Because 1 feel very tired and very ill, aud
1 feel that | have not long to live, ana ] 90
not wish, after l am gone, that you think |
did not love you"
IF you are not well, mother, we will 80
away somewhere. \ change perhaps would
do you good. will see the doctor to.mor
row."
"No, DEAR do not wish to leave here. Now
l shall go to bed; but, Pierre, before | so l
| want TO hear you say, i pardon YOU"
81 have nothing to pardon"
"Say the words, my son; say them"
"But, mothern-
| "Ah, you refuse; you are jealous still OF
the affection | have for Raymond. Oh, my
son, feel tonight that you are even dearer
to me than he, and it is for that that l beg
| your pardon"
But Pierre had lowered his eyes and stood
cold and rigid, making no sign, and she left
him, scarcely able to drag herself along, and
his heart melted ut the sight of her feeblencss
and he went and sustained her TO her room.
| When they were there she said again trying
so hard to smile:
$50, then, my son will not pardon his
mothers"
81 cannot" cried be; 81 cannot. l heard
| all. | know ALL"
"Ab!" said she, simply; then she burst into
a laugh so harsh and strange that he started
! and cried:
"Mother! Motherm
"Mother, mother; oh, yes, MOTHER said
she, shaking her head, but still laughing with
| that awful strident sound Suddenly she
stopped and her head fell forward and her
arms hung Imply down each side the chair.
"Great God"
Even to his inexperienced eyes this was
death, and he rang and in haste sent for Ray
mond and doctor, and then returned and
with the aid of the servants got her into bed,
where she lay dying. When Raymond heard
9he gun shots he knew at once it was a note
of alarm, as that was their method of COM
munication when either was in the forest and
was wanted at home. He reached there, and
| found his mother apparently dead, though she
revived and said feebly:
Raymond, Raymond, my best loved son,
will you do me one last favorl Go to Roger
and tell him l am dying and bring him here.
l cannot face God without his pardon. Bring
him, oh, Raymond and Pierre will stay with
me. Dear, noble Pierre, whom | never half
appreciated. Go, my son, i'll Gods name"
Raymond rode as for life to tho White
House and told Roger, who looked at him
coolly and said:
"And Suzanne? Am to leave this inno-
cent child to die alone while go to the bed
side of that guilty womanf"
"Let me watch beside her. My mother
must not die without your pardon; she has
mine, God knows. Go to her and let me
watch by this dear one whose life is so
precious to us all"
Roger clasped his hand warmly, and with
out another word led him to Suzanne's bed
side, saying to the nuIse
"ThiS is her promised husband. l, her
father, authorize him to stay here until my
return" And he role away like the wind,
leaving Raymond on his knees by Suzanne,
holding her burning hands in one of his.
while with the other he softly rubbed her
forehead, which felt like tide under his touch
She grew cahmer and quieter, and after a
while the restless tossings ceased and she fell
into gentle slumber, and the tense, dra wn
look about her brow and mouth relaxed. He
did not move or scarcely breathe as he linelt
there, his whole soul melting into the 1--we
and sorrow he felt for her blighted youth
And whether he infused something of his
own young life and strength into her or alb
sorbed by force Of viii or that occult science
which we call magnetism, the fever which
had so Slapped her youth and strength, We
know not hut us the hours went by she grew
easier and better, AMI when morning came at
last she opened her eyes in reason again.
III the meantime Roger rode toward the
dying woman as fast as his horse could 20.
Julia listened, listened, but 10 sound of
horses feet broke tie stiffness of the night,
anu size wlithed in her agony as she cried:
He will not come. He will fot pardon
me. Pierre, pray you, 90 to the window.
Do you hear thcml Go down in the court
yard and see if they are coming. Quick
Pierre! | cannot see. They will be too late
Oh, why do they not come, and Raymond
He did not stay for that one little word that
might have soothed my dying bed lie did
not pardon his unhappy mother"
Pierre went and booked. He looked several
times, but they did not come.
"He will not comep' cried Julia in agony
and already her features took on that awful
pallor of the dead, when a horses hoofs were
heard. Zone, only one,n she whispered
"lle will not forgive. Oh, Pierre, Ray
mondn
Steps came rapidly up the stairs, but JUS
as the door opened and Roger Laroque stcppeC
in, Julia drew her last breath, and it was be
fore her inanimate corpse that he knelt, ant
then, when they told him sho was dead, Ii
bent over that marble forehead and kissed i
with lips almost as white, saying: "God for
give me as do you, Julia!"
CHAPTER XIX.
Roger returned saddened and Mortified from
the bedside of Julia, who, no now knew, hac
Millel. nrnhallN lnsiynnl. Lis ruin md ,.or